


Business

by vase



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2018-09-18 08:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9376253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vase/pseuds/vase
Summary: When interacting with her peers, Chloe is… Kind of terrible. But when facing the world of backhanded compliments, sneaky deals and lies, she doesn’t just thrive, she crushes it. Or How Chloe does Adrien a solid.





	

Chloe put just a little more power into her confident strut as she returned to class. Sabrina was trailing behind her as always and the class was its usual Pablum of nonsense and noise that it became during lunch. The startling exception being Adrien.

Still in his seat, his meagre, but fancy, lunch untouched; the blonde ran his hands through his hair. Nino, Alya and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, all seemed to be trying to engulf him from their seats and he sent them his best “I’m OK” smile.

Being quite familiar with that smile, Chloe knew it was nonsense and strode up to the front of his desk.

Ignoring the rolled eyes, groans and sighs of the peanut gallery, Chloe grasped Adrien’s hands and put her forehead to his. “Oh, Adrien, what has got you in such a dreadful state!?”

Adrien quickly slid his hands from hers, rude, and pulled away to slide back in his chair, terrible posture. “Nino invited me out to laser tag this weekend and to stay over at his place; but when I asked dad he just shut me down.”

The “like always” was implied rather than said. Still, Chloe struggled to see the big deal. “Laser tag is beneath you Adrien, you’d get all sweaty and bruised.”

Grunting, really when did he start doing that to her of all people? Adrien said, “Maybe you think it’s beneath you, but I really wanted to try.” His sulky face and puffed up cheeks were adorable, even if his tone was wanting. Still, Chloe would need a heart of ash to not feel a pang of sympathy for her old friend.

“Hey, don’t despair, maybe we can smuggle you out,” Alya said. Followed by the usual squeak of affirmation, Marinette Dupain-Cheng gave whenever Adrien was involved and she became an adorable human disaster.

“Yes, I’m sure Marinette Dupain-Cheng has a life sized Adrien doll she can swap out for you,” Chloe sniped. She was pleased to see all eyes back on her, and Adrien’s confused little “huh” was just fun when contrasted to Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s pink cheeks and angry little pout.

“Why don’t you-” Alya started, only to be stalled when Chloe held up her hands and waved her perfectly manicured fingers in Adrien’s face. She’d gone with glittery gold nail polish this morning and wanted to show it off.

“But,” Chloe said sharply, reaching into her jacket and removing her mobile. “I suppose you should at least have the chance to try something before you realise its inherent failings. Let me deal with this.”

Blinking, they all looked to her and it was Adrien who finally asked, “Chloe, what are you talking about?”

Smirking she said, “Watch, and learn… Or don’t, actually don’t; go and get me a drink would you? I have calls to make.” And with that she sauntered over to her chair, Sabrina at her side and opening up her own phone to show Chloe a calendar as they took their seats.

She barely registered Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Alya and Nino’s groans of annoyance. Or their insistence that Adrien not bother. She was already in the zone.

“Agata? It’s me, Chloe, how are you my darling?”

* * *

When Adrien returned with a lemon soda, Chloe’s favourite for as long as he could remember, she was already buried deep in whatever conversations she was having. Chloe took the drink with barely a nod, as she tapped at her mobiles screen and spoke into the yellow ear piece.

Rolling his eyes, Adrien returned to his seat and spent the next few minutes concocting plots with his friends on how to escape his house for an evening. It was fun, if a little sad and never going to go anywhere.  

Five minutes before class was set to restart though, Chloe clicked off her phone, stretched and gave one of her haughty laughs. Looking over at him with a look he couldn’t quite discern, she said, “I hope you haven’t wasted your lunch period concocting little schemes now have you?”

“Hey at least we’re doing something,” Marinette snapped back.

Chloe’s smirk was one of victory, the one she got right before she played a winning hand with an ace still up her sleeve. “Why, so did I Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Adrien had never understood the emphasis, Chloe gave to Marinette’s name, or Marinette in general really. Even before he’d come to school she’d one on more than a few rants about the other girl, usually while getting all pink cheeked and cross.

Then Adrien blinked and said, “Wait, are you saying you got my dad to let me off the hook for laser tag?”

Shaking her shoulders and chuckling Chloe said, “Hah, and then some.” She held up her open palm and slowly closed it, showing off each decidedly deadly looking pointed nails as she said, “I crushed it.”

Alya’s flat, “What?” was echoed by more than a few even as Adrien’s excitement mounted.

“Adri-kins, consider yourself free of all photo-shoots for the weekend. I even convinced your father to let you stay over at a friend’s place, I didn’t define which friend, so use your imagination there.”

“Oh my gosh, thank you Chloe!” Adrien said, almost jumping up to hug her, before remembering how she might take that.

Seemingly unperturbed, Chloe merely smiled and said, “Of course, darling, what are friends for?”

“OK,” Nino said, “Not that, that isn’t rocking, but how? I met the dude and Adrien’s dad is like, the definition of buzz-kill.”

Taking the last sip of her now warm drink, Chloe clicked her tongue and said. “Well yes, but that’s just because you don’t know how to speak to him.”

“But,” Adrien almost stumbled on his words. “How did you know what to say, I mean… He’s my dad and I can never…” he trailed off, looked to the floor and so missed the looks of worry and sympathy that flashed across his friends faces.

The pat on the back from Nino started drawing him up. Then he was met by Chloe, ruffling his hair of all things, only stopping to give it a final flick and leave him with an ahoge, before she patted his cheeks.

“That,” she said, uncharacteristically firmly before grinning, “Is because you, Adrien, are a ray of pure sunshine and cinnamon rolls, while I… Well, I’m me,” she shrugged.

“Meaning?” Marinette and Alya said together.

Groaning, Chloe glanced at his face and Adrien was sure curiosity was still painted across his features. He’d known Chloe had a way with adults, even his father at times, but rarely had it ever been so… in his face. He’d always assumed it was just calling up the mayor’s office, but he hadn’t heard the usual high pitched “daddy!” even once.

Finally, Chloe spoke as she began inspecting her nails and sliding out a nailfile. “Fine, fine, here’s the abridged version.”

“I called up a dear friend of mine, an artist in Poland named Agata. Now, she loathes your father Adrien, says he’s impossible to work with, but he’s commissioned her before and wants to do so again, but struggles to book her without a, letter of introduction so to speak.”

Winking at him, she continued, “That’s where I come in. Agata adores me, and so I offered to model for one of her peace’s.” Chloe glanced back at Sabrina and said, “Oh and if you want to come, I’ll be visiting Poland on the next three day weekend.”

“Oh yes, thank you, Chloe!” Sabrina said.

Looking back to Adrien Chloe seemed a little disinterested, or maybe huffy as she said, “I’ll be sure to introduce you to some cuties while we’re there. Now then, where was I? Ah, yes,” Chloe said before anyone could speak.

“So I arranged a little visit for that, and in return she’ll be meeting with your father this weekend for a portrait.”

“That’s it, you offer to pose for some rich lady and get Adrien’s dad out so we can sneak him away?” Alya asked.

“No, no, I just said I got permission didn’t I?” Chloe said, returning to inspecting her nails. “With that little favour offered, and fair warning, that girl is a perfectionist so posing for her is no easy feat. I managed to get Gabriel to open up for me. He’s so much easier to talk to when he’s getting his own way on something, and so he was willing to listen to my sage advice on Adrien deserving a little break.”

She glanced at Adrien and said, somewhat more seriously, “You will need to spend an extra hour at a shoot this week, but that seemed like a minor trade.

"Anyway, while I was at it, I made sure to schedule all of these little intricacies for when Agata’s mother and elder sibling were home. Her older sibling works in the diplomatic core and her mother, well, she’s quite a wealthy woman. I’m going to convince, or gift, her sibling something from Gabriel and while I’m there and talk Agata’s mother into visiting daddies hotel. If she books there, I can ensure quite a few prestigious clients will be joining her when they visit Paris.”

“Plus, she is almost certain to bring Agata and her elder sibling, and the eldest is just the biggest fan of Jagged Stone. Who has basically adopted our hotel as his home away from home,” Chloe added happily.

“I thought you hated his music,” Adrien said.

“Yes, but I know when to follow a trend, dear,” Chloe said with a wave of her hand. “So once the whole families there, I can get him to sign an autograph, maybe take a picture? Things like portraits and pictures say more than a thousand words ever could. Every time they look at them, they’ll be reminded of me and think well of me next time I come calling or they do the same.”

Chuckling Chloe added, “And that’s not even getting into the effect her children being so happy will have wonderful impacts on her and my father’s talks.”

“Then,” Chloe started, only to be stalled as Marinette held out her hand.

“There’s more?” Marinete asked.

Sniffing, but seemingly too caught up to care about who she was talking to, or maybe something else judging by the little sparkle in Chloe’s eye, the blonde continued.

“Well, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I was considering saying that after that things get a little out of my grasp. But yes, I could go on, there’s a whole host of meetings, signing, photo-ops, and little deals to think about with just one of them coming to visit, let alone three.” Chloe said. “And that’s without even considering Gabriel, the new suit for Agata’s sibling, or Jagged Stone. My, my, so much to consider and so many potential high profile guests and plans to keep track of.”

Adrien just rubbed his head, “I feel like I need a flow chart.”

“Hah, a common feelings, but don’t fret Adrien, you’ll age yourself far too soon,” Chloe cooed.

“You worked all of that, into a ten minute conversation?” Alya asked, before adding, “Why?”

“Why?” Chloe asked, arching a manicured eyebrow at Alya.

“Why the massive web of deals and favours, half of it doesn’t even come close to connecting back to Adrien, so why continue?”Alya clarified.

Chloe rolled her eyes at that, “Well I’d have thought it was obvious little miss journalists. Daddy once said politics is like juggling a thousand different balls that keep changing sizes, speed and direction. Of course sometimes those balls turn into daggers, burst into flames or become dim-witted old men.”

Blowing on her nails, Chloe said, “It doesn’t matter if it’s military, monetary, or social capital, you have to keep the flow of favours, deals and photo-ops in motion. If you let it idle, let your face, your favours or efforts just stop, someone else steps in to fill the void and you fall to the wayside and might never catch up.”

Clicking her heels Chloe turned back to her seat as Misses Bustier returned to class and called for quiet.

Next to him, Adrien heard Nino murmur, “What would you even call that web of nonsense?“  
  
Glancing over at their desks, Chloe simply said, "Business.”


End file.
